> A new study raises the disturbing possibility that taking vitamin C
> pills may speed up hardening of the arteries:
>
>    http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/03/02/heart.vitaminc.ap/index.html
>
>This seems to conflict with the Pautil-Rath Hypothesis:
>
>    http://www.paulingtherapy.com/

Ok, I found some comments too.  One line summary: don't panic.

    I went to the site listed above and here is the only sentence that
    describes "the disturbing possibility" phrase which was in the
    lead sentence:

    >People taking 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily for at least a
    >year had a 2-1/2 times greater rate of thickening than did those who
    >avoided supplements.  Among smokers, the rate was five times greater.

    The problem is that the comparison is with "those who avoided
    supplements."  It sounds like they took two groups, one that took
    vitamin C and one that took *no* supplements.

    If that is correct, than the people whose rate of thickening included
    those taking all kinds of supplements and the thickening might not
    be caused from vit. C.

    Also, it is my observation that people who take 500 mg. or more of
    vit. C a day already have a medical problem.  My observation can be
    biased, but that's what I've noted.

    Based on the study report, the research did not take into account
    *prexisting* conditions; nor did it compare a "before" and "after"
    measure for individuals who took vit. C.  If they did that, they
    might have found just the opposite; or nothing at all.  That is,
    if they took subjects today and measured their arteries and the
    amount of vit. C they took; and then measured them a year later,
    they could find that the vit. C reduced the thickening or no effect.
    They did *not* do that within individuals, but compared two entirely
    different groups.  Also, they didn't mention any controls for aging
    and other factors that affect arteries.

    The way the report itself is written appears very much like a public
    relations job by the pharmacetuical industry which loses vast sums
    of money because of the availability of vitamin C.  Over half of all
    newspaper articles today are put out by public relations firms and
    presented as "news."  It was definitely a "scare" article based on
    what appears as untrustworthy research and reporting.

    Claire Gilbert